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Red hot Chillicothe completes sweep of Griffons
The Nevada Griffons fell to the Chillicothe Mudcats in both games of a doubleheader Friday at Shaffer Memorial Park in Chillicothe.
Scheduled as seven inning contests, the first game went into extra frames as the Griffons were downed 5-4 in eight innings. Nevada was then toppled 1-0 in the nightcap, with Chillicothe securing the three game series sweep.
After suffering its third consecutive loss, Nevada (19-14, 17-14 MINK) has dropped to second place in the South Division, trailing the first place Joplin Outlaws by a game.
The Mudcats (22-11), who are the hottest team in the MINK League after winning nine of their last 11 games, maintained its first place lead over the Sedalia Bombers in the North Division.
Mudcats 5 Griffons 4
Griffons starting pitcher Doug Molzahn wasn't as sharp as he was in his previous start July 9 against the St. Joseph Mustangs, when he tossed a nine inning complete-game victory, striking out seven. In the first game of the twinbill Friday in Chillicothe, Molzahn lasted only five innings, surrendering four runs (two earned).
While Molzahn had some control issues, allowing seven hits and issuing five walks, he was also the recipient of some bad luck, as an error charged to shortstop Tanner Wetrich in the third inning allowed two runs to score.
Nevada struck first, courtesy of a Trevor Peterson RBI single off Mudcats starting pitcher Blake Weiman in the top of the first inning. With two outs in the bottom of the third, a Ross McWhorter base knock scoring Preston Pavlica and advancing Ryan McPhail to second, knotted the contest 1-1.
Following McWhorter, an Alex Goodwin grounder to shortstop found its way under Wetrich's glove, resulting in McPhail and McWhorter coming around to score, as the Mudcats went on top 3-1.
Chillicothe increased its lead to three runs in the fourth, via a Cade Parker run scoring single, plating John Remick. With one out in the fifth, a double off the bat of Adam Eskil followed by a Nate Hunter single had Nevada in business.
Looking to escape the jam, Weinman struck out Kainulu Pitoy for the inning's second out. Ethaniel Valdez, however, had other ideas, as he singled home Eskil, cutting the Chillicothe lead to 4-2. Tyler Pagano followed with another single, scoring Hunter to trim the Chillicothe advantage to a run.
The Griffons tied the game in the sixth as a Cole Johnson single plated Wetrich. The contest remained tied 4-4 until the bottom of the eighth. Griffons relief pitcher Aaron Bartaeu opened the inning by walking McPhail. McPhail then proceeded to steal both second and third base. After issuing a walk to Dalton Schumer and then an intentional walk to McWhorter, loading the bases, Barteau was replaced on the mound by Matt Riney.
After inheriting a dicey situation, Riney was able to get Goodwin to fly out to right field for the inning's first out ---- shallow enough that McPhail was unable to tag from third. Stepping to the plate, however, was MINK League home run derby champion, Nick Banman. Banman promptly deposited a Riney offering into right field, easily scoring McPhail to hand Chillicothe the 5-4 walk-off victory.
For Nevada, Barteau, (1-1) in two innings of work was saddled with the loss, while Mudcats relief pitcher Tim Nelson (1-0) picked up the victory. At the dish for Nevada, Valdez was 3-for-4 with a run and RBI, rasing his batting average to .277; Pagano went 2-for-4 with an RBI; Eskil 2-for-3 with an RBI and run; and Johnson 2-for-4.
In the nightcap, Zach Leban, who recently completed his freshman season with the Kansas Jayhawks, was lights out. Leban notched a seven inning, one hit complete-game shutout, lifting Chillicothe to the 1-0 victory. Leban struck out eight and walked one. A Hunter single in the top of third was Nevada's lone hit of the contest.
Up next
The Griffons face the Outlaws tonight at 7 p.m. in Joplin, and then return home Sunday to face the Outlaws at Lyons Stadium, with the first pitch again set for 7 p.m.
Sunday is a big day at Lyons Stadium, as the Griffons are holding an ice cream social fundraiser, with homemade cake and ice cream available during the game. It's also Cub Scout Night for pack 117.